COLLEGE STATION - Texas A&M fans have pined to play Duke for decades. In basketball.

In a season in which the Aggies didn't get what they wished for on multiple fronts, however, it seems appropriate A&M will finally draw the Blue Devils. In football.

No. 21 A&M, which started a promising year ranked seventh, will face Duke on New Year's Eve in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta's Georgia Dome. The Aggies and Blue Devils, who lost 45-7 to top-ranked Florida State in Saturday's ACC title game, have never played in football (and only once in basketball, in 1987).

"We have a huge amount of respect for Duke, and for me, personally, I have a huge amount of respect for coach (David) Cutcliffe," A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said. "And any time you're playing teams around this time of the year, you'd better be ready to play."

A&M, after earning its first top-five finish (fifth) since 1956 last season in its first swing through the rugged Southeastern Conference, had entered this year with hopes of being among the roses in Pasadena, Calif., in the national title game. Instead, the Aggies will be surrounded by peaches - and perhaps Chick-fil-A's coveted peach milkshakes - in the heart of SEC country.

The nationally televised ESPN game should draw wide interest, however, for one primary reason: It's likely the last collegiate contest for reigning Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel, who's expected to declare for the NFL draft in the coming weeks. Manziel, who turned 21 on Friday, has been hampered by a hurt throwing hand and shoulder over the last few games of the season.

His numbers dipped considerably in a blowout loss at LSU (34-10) on Nov. 23 and a narrow setback at Missouri (28-21) on Nov. 30 to close out the regular season. Despite the nagging injuries, Manziel is expected to play against Duke.

"I love great competitors and great quarterbacks," Cutcliffe said of Manziel, "and he's both of those."

Sumlin said he's not positive when Manziel will make an announcement regarding his future, including an offering of, "If he does, he does" should Manziel declare before the bowl game.

The Aggies, their championship hopes long squashed, are simply hoping to avoid their first three-game losing streak to wrap up a season since 2008, in then-coach Mike Sherman's first of four seasons. The Aggies are 15-19 all-time in bowls and are playing in their fifth consecutive postseason contest. A year ago, they whipped former Big 12 foe Oklahoma 41-13 in the Cotton Bowl.